


It's Everything

by spicywatson



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dreams, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending, martin is a baby in this because i said so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 23:10:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18353642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spicywatson/pseuds/spicywatson
Summary: He’s so happy. Tears pool in his eyes. He has everything.





	It's Everything

_He sits on the plush sofa, teacup warming his hands. A quick kiss pressed to his cheek and Ed’s arm around him._

_Sunlight pouring in and soft singing floating through the air. The crackle of a record player._

_His mother and father slow dancing together, singing along to the music. They cast loving glances at Oswald and Ed as they continue their rotation._

_Oswald watches them, enchanted, and is broken out of his daze when Ed carefully takes the teacup from him and places it on the coffee table._

_Suddenly, Martin is in his arms. His wonderful baby. All dressed up in his Sunday finest, complete with a tiny bow tie. Martin snuggles against him as Oswald gently rocks him to the music. Ed pets their baby’s hair soothingly._

_And then Gertrud is sweeping Martin out of Oswald’s arms, holding him up in the air as she twirls. She laughs and coos at him in Hungarian. Martin smiles. Elijah lightly pinches his cheek._

_Gertrud begins to dance with the baby, tickling him playfully as they bounce around the sitting room. Elijah settles in an armchair to watch._

_Oswald is smiling so widely, so brightly it hurts. He glances over at Ed, who is enraptured in this scene, a smile frozen on his lips, warmth blooming in his face. He lays his head on Ed’s shoulder. Ed winds an arm around his waist and pulls him just a little closer._

_He’s so happy. Tears pool in his eyes. He has everything._

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oswald wakes up with hot tears slipping down his cheeks and a deep soreness in his throat. He can’t help but sob as he realizes that none of it was real. It was only a paradise he’ll never find. He squeezes his eyes shut and clutches his pillow. Tries to stay silent. Can’t stop the shaking of his shoulders.

Oswald doesn’t even notice the stirring beside him until strong, warm arms wrap around him and gently pull him in close. He’d hoped he wouldn’t wake his husband up but Ed is incredibly attentive. He hushes Oswald softly, pressing little kisses to his forehead and rubbing circles into his back.

It’s not rare that one of them finds the other so distraught during the night. Terrible dreams haunt them both, but it’s not always the nightmares that have Oswald waking in tears. Sometimes he dreams of memories, other times his mind creates a perfect world. Beautiful. Blissful. Often heartbreaking.

Oswald takes shaky breaths as he tangles his fingers into Ed’s shirt. The warmth of Ed’s body is remarkably comforting and although it doesn’t take his sadness away Oswald finds it soothing nonetheless. 

“Do you want to tell me about it?” Ed asks softly, stroking his hair.

Oswald certainly isn’t one to keep his emotions hidden, especially with his husband. “Ed,” he begins delicately, “do you think you would have liked my mother? My parents?” A sort of heavy question. But Oswald can’t help but linger on it from time to time.

Ed thinks for a moment, eyes wandering to a far off space and fingers combing through Oswald’s hair. “I would have given anything to have parents like yours, Oswald. So yes, I’m sure I would have loved them.”

“I wish they could have met you. And Martin.” Fresh tears sting his eyes. The thought of his parents never meeting his child and the love of his life weighs on his chest like a heavy stone. “I know they would have loved you too.”

Ed takes Oswald’s hand and squeezes gently. Oswald manages a weak smile then takes a calming breath. He shares his paradise with Ed, who listens very intently while carefully brushing away his tears. The tears aren’t so bitter now, though, as Oswald recalls the happiness of his dream.

When Oswald finishes, Ed drops a kiss to his cheek, the side of his nose, the corner of his mouth. “It’s okay to miss them,” his husband whispers. He runs a hand up and down Oswald’s arm. 

“Remember, sweetheart, you’ll always have me, and we’ll always have Martin. And when he gets a little older you can tell him all about his grandparents, and he’ll come to know how wonderful they were,” he gives Oswald a wide, loving smile that reaches his deep brown eyes. Such a beautiful, comforting sight. 

Tears dry on Oswald’s cheeks. A headache blooms in his forehead but he finds himself smiling anyway. He nuzzles against Ed, nose pressing into Ed’s cheek. The here and now is a happy place to be.

“How about some breakfast?” Ed suggests.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining, birds are singing.

Ed made waffles, delicious as usual.

Oswald indulges himself in the incredible breakfast while his husband spoon-feeds their baby. Martin fusses. He doesn’t want whatever mashed infant food Ed is trying to give him; he wants the waffles. He looks to Oswald with big, desperate brown eyes. Ed laughs.

Oswald lifts their son out of his highchair and holds him close, chuckling. Ed and Oswald share a quick kiss before Ed takes his own seat and finally helps himself to some fruit salad. Martin reaches two little hands towards Oswald’s plate and is allowed a tiny portion of the waffles. No syrup, though. Too much sugar for such a little body. Oswald drops a kiss into Martin’s soft curly hair.

They make a small but incredibly happy family, and Oswald wouldn’t give it up for the world.

He does have a small slice of paradise, he decides. And it’s everything.

**Author's Note:**

> don't you just love baby Martin?


End file.
